How is classroom teaching different from before the pandemic?

[fosca]

I know, it's an incredibly broad question, but consider it also a chance to vent.

I've been teaching online since the pandemic started, having taken a fully-online job.  I'm interviewing for a new job that would require my teaching in the classroom, for a 50% pay bump and in a place I want to live and can't currently afford (see 50% pay bump). 

I just talked to a friend of mine who said it's horrible: students plagiarize (I've run into a lot of this myself this past school year) and claim they can't take tests on time because they have COVID (for the fifth time this semester) and generally don't do the work and administration is so worried about FTE that professors are told to essentially eliminate standards and deadlines (which I've also seen a bit of).  I don't know if this is true elsewhere or if my friend is just really unlucky or burnt out (or all of the above).

I'd like to get some opinions on how things are working now before I decide to take the jump.  Thanks!

[the_geneticist]

Sounds like your friend is either a bit burned out or works at an open enrollment college or university (or a SLAC that sees each student as a walking $$tuition$$ payment & is desperate to not lose any more students).

In general, students LOVE doing labs in person.  They were making a bit of noise about liking the flexibility of online learning during online learning, but never said a peep about it once we got them back in the teaching labs.

If your lectures are just you talking, then students really don't care if your class is entirely online or if you teach in person and post your slides for them.  I assume you are a much better & more interactive instructor!  The student-student interactions are so much easier for in-person classes.  You still have to train them, but it's much easier to be spontaneous.

I think we're going to see a few years of students that learned some really bad habits due to pandemic K12 education.  It's going to be a while before they are used to firm deadlines, grading based on correctness, and the expectation that they are responsible for managing their time.

I had more issues with plagiarism in my online classes than in-person.  As for students being out sick, I'm actually glad they are being told to stay home and take care of themselves.  Ooze sympathy, ask for documentation, and point them to their academic advisor if they need a medical withdrawal.

Talk with the folks at the new place & see what they are seeing as the "challenges & opportunities".

[Ruralguy]

There's certainly been more flexibility on everyone's part.I wouldn't say I've loosened standards by gaining someone several extra days, but so be it. It can be stressful at times.

The details depend on the job, so apply for jobs and see what happens?

[Puget]

Your friend sounds bitter and burnt out.

I don't think it's much different where I am (selected R1)-- students are mostly happy to be in class in person, and are mostly still reasonably engaged.  Though I am seeing a bit of this:

I think we're going to see a few years of students that learned some really bad habits due to pandemic K12 education.  It's going to be a while before they are used to firm deadlines, grading based on correctness, and the expectation that they are responsible for managing their time.

I definitely had some first years in class last semester who thought I was mean because I had firm weekly deadlines for low-stakes assignments designed to prepare them for class, and in-class assignments. They got their lowest of these grades dropped, but some still think there shouldn't be any deadlines. This is always true, but seems to have gotten a bit worse as they are used to "flexibility".

[Ruralguy]

I am only flexible if circumstances demand or suggest it. I am not going to just accept any work at any time.

[Wahoo Redux]

Our students are strangely depressed, disengaged, and lethargic.  The ethos is bad.  I am just not sure what changed...

We also are worried about FTW, but in our case the administration is just lopping off body parts.

[Caracal]

I haven't noticed any of that. I mean, students do miss more classes for illness and write me about it. That's good though. They are mostly just being responsible about not coming to class feeling crappy. I'm sure there are some students who say they're sick to avoid coming to class, but I don't think its a lot. I have far more students not showing up and not writing me...

As always, the best way to deal with this sort of thing is to have policies for high stakes assignments that make it not really your problem if students can't come to exams. Seriously, scheduled make ups/finals that can replace a missed exam/whatever works for your class are your friend. When you're constantly having to arrange things for individual students and decide if their excuses are valid,  you get grumpy at them. If you have policies that allow you to usually just say "oh, ok, well you can just take the make up at the end of the semester. Hope you feel better soon" you'll be a better more pleasant instructor.

That's really the only big thing I've seen this semester. The attendance this spring has been poor. I wouldn't say its been a big problem for me as a teacher-the students who aren't coming aren't ones who would be participating anyway, but it might result in some bad grades this semester. I always try to be careful about drawing big conclusions from small samples-its really easy for a my 150 students to be an unrepresentative bunch. Mostly, the students have been great this semester. I have noticed lately that distractions with cell phones and computers are high and that's something I'll probably try to address in the fall..

[jerseyjay]

In-person teaching is the same as it was before the pandemic, only more so.

I mean, I can identify with your friend, and we probably teach in similar schools. But the issues--plagiarism, not following deadlines, not doing the work, administrative push on keeping enrollment up--are not exactly new. My school is in a budget crisis, and has tried to increase class sizes, which is related to the pandemic, but not really to the students. I would imagine some of these issues are worse in online classes.

Here are some observations about teaching over the past semesters:

Flexibility--I have stopped taking attendance. I don't know if absences are really up per se, but I cannot really evaluate student's excuses. And some professors I know have had much worse attendance, too.

Exams--I have stopped doing bluebook exams and instead have students do their exams online during a week. A benefit of this is I gain an extra day for coursework.

Masks--I understand the medical benefit of masks, but from a pedagogical standpoint, they're not ideal. It is also strange to pass students outside and not recognize them. Masks also add a level of tension because some people insist on wearing them and some insist on not wearing them, regardless of the rules. Now we are in a liminal period (as some of colleagues would say) in which school guidelines are not clear.

Online--many students expect that there is an online component to any class and that they can just sit at home for the semester.

Anxiety--there is a constant free floating anxiety and stress among everybody (professors, staff, students, administrators) that is very taxing. Add a war involving a major nuclear power, and it only gets worse.

[mamselle]

Probably off-topic for this thread, but are anyone's students affected by the Ukranian invasion to any degree on top of Covid?

I have 3 private students, as I've mentioned earlier, whose family are 2nd-generation arrivants on both sides. One thing I've just noticed in the past 3 weeks is that the oldest two are both wearing army-green shirts and hoodies to their online lessons.

Is there any activity on campuses or in dorms re: the situation?

Maybe I should start a new thread, but it struck me that, as Carcal has pointed out, it's an additional complicating factor.

M.

[downer]

I have not noticed any big changes in classroom teaching in the last year. Similar issues to before.

I haven't seen much difference in online teaching either.

If students were affected by the pandemic in significant ways, online teaching would be affected too.

The main and obvious difference is that schools have more financial problems and this affects faculty morale and motivation. The idea that there is something like an academic community pursuing knowledge seems to be disappearing. Individuals have their own research projects, but that's about it. Most administration concerns are about bringing in cash.

[mythbuster]

We have seen that the campus is much more quiet. We are a commuter school and I think the push to online led to some faculty making the permanent shift to more online courses. Students don't linger on campus very much anymore.

In labs we have noticed that students really are lacking in attention, listening, and multi-tasking skills. We have had to really scale back experiments and do much more basic explanations. We are hoping that this is a result of online labs for ~2 years, and that in a year or so this will improve.

I have also created more forgiving make-up policies for exams etc. I really don't want sick students in the room, and then handing a contaminated exam to me to grade!

Otherwise, the good students are good, the others are a range of not so much to head-smackingly bad. So nothing new there.

[Anon1787]

It will, of course, vary by university and department, so I'd suggest that the OP try to gather as much localized information as possible.

At my university plagiarism and cheating have definitely increased since the pandemic shifted courses online, but returning to in person exams has at least reduced the amount of cheating. I have not been taking attendance as I normally do, so attendance is down. Required attendance seems to nudge the average rather than the worst student. Failing to meet deadlines is more of a problem. I have remained firm on deadlines (and late penalties) for major assignments, but have been more flexible on minor assignments, which makes one appear to be more accommodating. Some students are probably using Covid as an excuse, but not as many as I expected.

[dr_evil]

As some have said, teaching is the same, but more of it. More students asking for deadline extensions (or just assuming they can turn things in late). More students asking for a make-up when we drop the lowest score - students think they should be allowed a chance to do poorly, not a chance to miss OR do poorly. There are probably greater expectations for make-up assignments in general (for good reasons or bad). There was more expectation of catching up for a missed day with watching a video. The newest one that I don't recall much of before was the expectation from some students of a chance to do an assignment or exam over if they did poorly.

The most noticeable thing perhaps is the drop in performance. Students had been having more difficulty before the pandemic, but during Covid, it really dropped. I think that came from all the open book, open note, no time limit exams some people apparently had. Some of my students have been quite unhappy that I don't do that.

[the_geneticist]

As some have said, teaching is the same, but more of it. More students asking for deadline extensions (or just assuming they can turn things in late). More students asking for a make-up when we drop the lowest score - students think they should be allowed a chance to do poorly, not a chance to miss OR do poorly. There are probably greater expectations for make-up assignments in general (for good reasons or bad). There was more expectation of catching up for a missed day with watching a video. The newest one that I don't recall much of before was the expectation from some students of a chance to do an assignment or exam over if they did poorly.

The most noticeable thing perhaps is the drop in performance. Students had been having more difficulty before the pandemic, but during Covid, it really dropped. I think that came from all the open book, open note, no time limit exams some people apparently had. Some of my students have been quite unhappy that I don't do that.

I'm seeing this one too.  And for all types of assignments: open notes quizzes, in-class worksheets, uploaded assignments, exams. 
Nope, you can't have another try after we've already graded it and given you feedback.

[kiana]

The newest one that I don't recall much of before was the expectation from some students of a chance to do an assignment or exam over if they did poorly.

I'm seeing this one too.  And for all types of assignments: open notes quizzes, in-class worksheets, uploaded assignments, exams. 
Nope, you can't have another try after we've already graded it and given you feedback.

Also seeing this a lot. One even left the test after 20 minutes and emailed me later to say he would just take the makeup. Uh, there isn't one.